266 MINES, METALS, AND GEMS. L 
been estimated at one-tourtli of a million 
greater part of this quicksilver has been lately jji j 
the mine of Almaden in Spain, and that of 
niola, the celebrated quicksilver mine of Huaj 
Pera having greatly fallen off in its produce> ^ 
sixteenth century, when it was highly floiy‘= jjiid 
prosperity of the silver mines, both in Mexico 
therefore greatly depends on the supplies ° tl>® ill’ 
from Spain, Germany, and Italy ; for such is W; 
dance of the ore in those kingdoms, that the o 
the quantity of silver otjtained there, is the ^ 
cury for amalgamation. 
In taking a general view of the nches " 
provinces of America, Mr. Humboldt, wh® 
tliQse details, remarks that, in Peru, silver ore 
o-reat abundance as in Mexico, the mines or 
being capable of yielding as great a produce 
Guanaxuato; but diat the art of mining, piorn -..i; 
of separating the silver from_ its ore, are ^ iiCj* 
tive than in New Spain. Notwithstanding mIs 
system, the total amount of the precious 
frirnished by America, is estimated at np«‘ j 
millions and a half sterling—the gold being 
to the silver as one to forty-six. From W 
quantity of gold and silver extracted (joO 
mines has been equal m value to .t 
of which immense sum, the portion brougu V 
including the booty made by the conquerors yt / 
is estimated at .5,445,000,000, giving an ^y ,*; I 
teen million and a halt ot dollars yearly, 
portation being dhided into six periods, 
been constantly augmenting, and in the .geil '.r 
sive ratio. From 1702 to 1500, it did not ® .jg!''' ri 
dollars. From 1500 to 1545, it amounted ‘ 
of dollars. From 1545 to l 600 , to eleven 'A 
l600 to 1700 , to sixteen millions. From 1/ 
twenty- two millions and a halt. And, las 
1803, to the prodigious sura of thirty-h' n|iaiy|/' 
hundred tliousanddollars,nearlyequalto eight jjii, 
The first period was tliat of exchange ' 
or of mere rapine. The second was ^ 
conquest and plundej of Mexico, I 
